Whelan in contention for Stoke game

Stoke trio Glenn Whelan, Ricardo Fuller and Danny Higginbotham could come into contention for the Barclays Premier League match against Aston Villa tomorrow.

In addition to a back problem Fuller has a touch of flu while Whelan (hamstring) and Higginbotham (back) are also having treatment for injuries.

Manager Tony Pulis will make a late decision on all three players. He is already without Ryan Shawcross through suspension while Salif Diao has a calf strain.

Provisional squad: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Whitehead, Abdoulaye Faye, Huth, Collins, Lawrence, Pugh, Whelan, Tuncay, Delap, Etherington, Sidibe, Fuller, Kitson, Higginbotham, Simonsen, Beattie, Davies, Amdy Faye.